With so many of us experiencing the ups and downs of working from home over the last year, the importance of having the right kit was made clearer than ever. 2-in-1 laptops have come into their own as the perfect choice for both work and entertainment – and one of our favourite models has just been given a huge update at CES 2021.
HP's Elite Dragonfly now has not one but two successors, the Elite Dragonfly G2 and Elite Dragonfly Max. Both are specced fairly similarly, although a few notable upgrades could make the Elite DragonFly Max the best 2-in-1 laptop for anybody working from home.
The HP Elite Dragonfly Max could be the ultimate laptop for video calls (Image credit: HP)
At just 2.2 pounds, the 13.3-inch Elite Dragonfly G2 is an incredibly thin and light device – but you won't have to worry about losing it thanks to the in-built Tile location tracker. It also packs an 11th Gen Intel Core processor, with RAM configurable up to 32GB. It might be aimed at "collaboration-centric professionals", but with those specs, the G2 should be no slouch for creatives looking to use the most intensive tools for graphic designers.
The Elite Dragonfly Max features all of the above, plus a truly impressive webcam and microphone setup. Whereas the G2 only has a 1.2MP webcam, the Max's is an impressive 5MP, and it also features four wide-range microphones with ambient noise cancellation and 360 degree audio pickup.
If you're lucky enough to have somewhere to go, the new laptops are incredible thin and light (Image credit: HP)
With many 'pro' or 'max' iterations of tech often focussed on faster chips and graphical prowess, it's telling that in 2021, it's actually video conferencing performance that matters most. With all manner of professional collaboration taking place over video calls at home instead of in meeting rooms, an underwhelming microphone and front-facing camera are suddenly far less forgivable. Check out the best webcams available now if you fancy coming across a little clearer.
Speaking of poor quality cameras, that's one area where even the otherwise-incredible M1 MacBooks are still lagging behind (720p is not enough, Apple). If, like many people, you're now living in a world of constant video calls, a once unimportant feature could now be enough to persuade you to ditch the MacBook for good.
We don't yet know how much either device will cost, but with the original starting at a whopping $1,629/£1,618 we doubt they'll come cheap. That said, with its incredible display, battery life and keyboard, even the first Elite Dragonfly is a sound investment – take a look at today's best deals below.
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
